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General SportbikesThis area is for sport bike discussion in general. Topics that don't really belong anywhere else can go here. Questions can be answered and addressed to fully understand certain aspects of the sport. If your question is manufacturer specific please post it there.
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Push starting is not going to damage the bike physically, but like Uncal said, can cause electrical issues. The first one that comes to mind is an exploding battery. It is unlikely, but I've seen it before on a lawnmower; started it with a bad battery in it, using the pull starter. After a few minutes, boom.

Yeah.... this CAN happen. But it's pretty unlikely.

If you've gotten to the point of having to push start a bike, then it's because you need your bike and it's your only option.

Thus- if I'm in the situation where I need to push start my bike, I'd go ahead and do it every time. First option would be a jump start... but if you are by yourself with no cars around, then you can't do that.

If you've gotten to the point of having to push start a bike, then it's because you need your bike and it's your only option.

Thus- if I'm in the situation where I need to push start my bike, I'd go ahead and do it every time. First option would be a jump start... but if you are by yourself with no cars around, then you can't do that.

Agreed. I've push started bikes many times before, and I will likely do it again. But I can say that I've never quite felt comfy riding with a questionable battery with my jewels resting right above the battery box after seeing one blow up

Agreed. I've push started bikes many times before, and I will likely do it again. But I can say that I've never quite felt comfy riding with a questionable battery with my jewels resting right above the battery box after seeing one blow up

Most bike manufacturers use the smallest and lightest battery they can get away with, but really the heavy lead-acid batteries are stone-age for sport-bikes these days. A strong battery is the foundation of your motorcycle; if it won't start you can't ride it so spending a few extra bucks is well worth it. I got the Shorai extra-strong 18Ah lithium battery (only weighs a couple of pounds) and their battery tender which plugs into a cable to the 5-pin port on the battery ($250 total). Lithium batteries are a bit sluggish in cold weather (until cranking perks up the ions) so I got the stronger model than standard. Shorai says their battery can last 10 yrs with proper care.

Most bike manufacturers use the smallest and lightest battery they can get away with, but really the heavy lead-acid batteries are stone-age for sport-bikes these days. A strong battery is the foundation of your motorcycle; if it won't start you can't ride it so spending a few extra bucks is well worth it. I got the Shorai extra-strong 18Ah lithium battery (only weighs a couple of pounds) and their battery tender which plugs into a cable to the 5-pin port on the battery ($250 total). Lithium batteries are a bit sluggish in cold weather (until cranking perks up the ions) so I got the stronger model than standard. Shorai says their battery can last 10 yrs with proper care.

A battery tender is next on my list! Question about that as well though. You guys know the wires that go from the battery and have a connector on the end to connect to the battery tender? Well mine are too short and I can't get them to slip under the tail, meaning that everytime I would need to charge it, I need to pop the seats off everytime. That's a pain. Does anybody know what gauge wire I can solder to the existing wire to make the connector a little longer to make it more convenient for me?

Wat? The battery tender comes with its own connector. You screw the adapter directly to the battery terminals on your bike and route the pigtail end to somewhere on your bike that's easy to get to. The pigtail wire is like 2-2.5' long, plenty of length. Easy peasy.

A battery tender is next on my list! Question about that as well though. You guys know the wires that go from the battery and have a connector on the end to connect to the battery tender? Well mine are too short and I can't get them to slip under the tail, meaning that everytime I would need to charge it, I need to pop the seats off everytime. That's a pain. Does anybody know what gauge wire I can solder to the existing wire to make the connector a little longer to make it more convenient for me?

Go to the sears auto department (many times a separate building). They sell the die hard trickle chargers and their accessories.

one of said accessories is a 2ft pigtail with an in-line fuse. It's got the ring terminals on one end and the correct connector on the other. It's like 6 bucks, I think. Maybe 8.

Cheap, and MUCH better than the short-ass ones that come with the chargers. I have one on my BMW because the battery is absolutely BURIED on that thing. So I want that thing to stay good for as long as possible so I don't have to dig it out....

Also- most lithium motorcycle batteries are absolute crap. Some people swear by the Shorai ones, but I've heard SO many negative things about them that I'm not even thinking of getting close to buying one.

Wat? The battery tender comes with its own connector. You screw the adapter directly to the battery terminals on your bike and route the pigtail end to somewhere on your bike that's easy to get to. The pigtail wire is like 2-2.5' long, plenty of length. Easy peasy.

Most battery tenders that I have bought (I have three) have come with the 1' long ones. A guy at work bought a bike that I fixed up for him, and it came with the 2' one with a fuse- he didn't have a charger, so I took it from him.

I recently saw them at sears. They are cheaper than the battery tender brand ones, which they have at some motorcycle dealers... but again- not all of them are the long ones.

The normal ones are too short for MOST bikes, even when the battery is just under the seat. I hate them.

Most battery tenders that I have bought (I have three) have come with the 1' long ones. A guy at work bought a bike that I fixed up for him, and it came with the 2' one with a fuse- he didn't have a charger, so I took it from him.

I recently saw them at sears. They are cheaper than the battery tender brand ones, which they have at some motorcycle dealers... but again- not all of them are the long ones.

The normal ones are too short for MOST bikes, even when the battery is just under the seat. I hate them.

Strange. I got the baby battery tender that I linked, and it has more than enough slack.

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Strange. I got the baby battery tender that I linked, and it has more than enough slack.

yeah, mine is was waaaay long, i had to loop it a bunch to get it to hang just how i want it. no worries now. then i got to add my electric gear hookup... now THAT wire is MF'in LONG. i actually have it come out near the front of the tank.

i soo love playin with electricity... always fun til the smoke escapes.... tough as hell puttin it back in.

They must have started shipping those in the last couple years, then. I think the last time I bought one was like 4 or 5 years ago at LEAST.

Yeah mine I got from amazon when it was on some kick ass kind of sale for 20 bucks about a year ago. The pigtail has a little 25a or 30a fuse if memory serves. Also has alligator clips as well for a non permanent mount. Zip tied up the extra slack and ran it to underneath the storage trunk of the bike. Works great. Just checked on it last week and it's keeping my little sv company in the garage without issue.